


color me in, light me up inside

by mostlikelydefinentlymad



Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: Alternate Reality, Childhood Friends, First Kiss, First Love, M/M, No Angst, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, POV cory matthews, it's maybe really bad idk, it's sorta cheesy ok, no Angela, no Topanga, shory, this is not a color soul mate thing but has some of those aspects so, very loosely inspired by The Giver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 06:08:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7302646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mostlikelydefinentlymad/pseuds/mostlikelydefinentlymad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cory closes his eyes once more and a pale face with hazel eyes comes into view. A smirk and wavy brown (brown? yes) hair follows. Shawn's eyes are more amber than green as Cory pictures them - how had he lived half a lifetime without knowing the exact blend of green into brown with sparks of a golden hue?</p><p>[cheesy color fic where the world is in black & white]</p>
            </blockquote>





	color me in, light me up inside

"Close your eyes and take my hand."

Cory lightly places his hand over George Feeny's and does as he is told. It's an odd ritual that they repeat every Saturday. Cory leans over the small picket fence that separates Mr. Feeny's property from the Matthews' and learns a little something more each time.

The world as they know it is painted in various shades of white, gray and black. Even the potted plants that line Mrs. Matthews kitchen window are soot colored. It's what Cory is used to - it's all he has ever known...until recently that is.

By some twist of nature or magic perhaps Mr. Feeny has the ability to see color. He vividly describes the color blue and the soft orange of sunset as if he were reciting a poem. Cory is beginning to understand, beginning to see sparks of color here and there. They're microscopic but breathtaking none the less.

"What do you see?"

The world seems to burst with color as Cory squeezes his eyes tighter together. Evergreen trees in so many shades of green, tiny flowers bursting through rich brown soil, the Summer sky speckled with puffs of wispy clouds along an ocean blue backdrop. 

Cory smiles. "Green...green like the color of his eyes when the sun shines on them."

Mr. Feeny squeezes his hand and releases. "You can open them now."

Suddenly Cory sees all colors of the rainbow - the luster of shiny red apples, the majesty of a blue-violet orchid bending toward the sun...

"Mr. Feeny! I can see them!"

He brushes his fingers along the surface of a blade of grass followed by the soft fur of Mr. Feeny's orange and white cat; admires the copper colored eyes that gaze back at him.

"As I said you would, Mr. Matthews. Tell me about the color green. I'll be the student, teach me."

Cory closes his eyes once more and a pale face with hazel eyes comes into view. A smirk and wavy brown ( _brown?_ yes) hair follows. Shawn's eyes are more amber than green as Cory pictures them - how had he lived half a lifetime without knowing the exact blend of green into brown with sparks of gold?

He begins to speak aloud as he peers into them in his minds eye. It's almost as if Shawn were standing right in front of him.

"I'm no poet but I think I like this color, Feeny. It's like grass but not that bright and it's not really one color. It's a combination I think. Gold? Brown? Help me out here."

Mr. Feeny shrugs - "I'm merely the student. Where do you see them?"

"Shawnie."

Mr. Feeny smiles to himself. He'd watched the two of them grow up side by side and proudly observed as they'd persevered through Shawn's familial problems, through Cory's irritation with being seen as average (though Shawn had assured him that he was anything but) and many other issues that were mere bumps in the road. Anyone could see that they'd always had something special. Perhaps this one development could finally give them the push that they need in order to step over the line that divides friendship from something deeper, something more beautiful.

"Congratulations, Mr. Matthews. My work here is done."

Cory opens his eyes and scrubs a hand over them. The colors are nearly overwhelming.

"What? Aren't you going to give me some speech about rainbows and how we're all part of the spectrum of life etc etc? I mean - not that I need it or anything."

Mr. Feeny shrugs and begins to pluck at his flowers and adjust them. "You don't need me to tell you what you already know. You had this ability all along, you simply needed to find it."

Cory pockets a blade of grass and watches as Mr. Feeny tilts the orchid this way and that.

"Come on, Feeny. You can't just leave me hangin' like this."

"Perhaps you could describe your experience to Mr. Hunter," Mr. Feeny suggests.

Sure. Okay. That actually sounds like a good idea. Shawn would be very excited albeit confused.

"Yes! I'll do that, I'll get right on it. Thanks!"

The back door slams behind Cory as he rushes through it. He hasn't felt this wired in years - not since he and Shawn had quickly pecked one another on the lips when they were ten years old (they hadn't spoke of it since). 

+

"Gimme your hand, Shawnie."

They're cooped up in Shawn's fathers cramped mobile home due to a heavy downpour that had hit halfway through Cory making his way to Shawn's home. He'd arrived soaking wet and grinning like an idiot.

Shawn had taken one look at him, rolled his eyes as he mumbled under his breath about Cory getting sick then tossed him a towel.

"Why?"

Cory chooses to ignores the question and takes Shawn's hands in his own.

"Close your eyes," he instructs.

Shawn scoffs but does as he is told.

Cory's voice drops to a near whisper. "Can you see it, Shawnie?"

"All I see is black, Cor."

Frustrating.

Cory intertwines their hands. "Anything now?"

Shawn squeezes Cory's hand in response but shakes his head no.

"Are you shaking your head? 'Cause I can't see that, Shawnie."

"Nope, can't see a thing."

Why isn't it working? Perhaps...

"I'm gonna try something new, just keep your eyes closed."

Shawn nods.

Cory grins - "I can't see your face, remember?"

"Sorry babe. I shook my head yes. Don't do anything stupid though. My dad's gonna kill me if you blow up the place or something."

_Babe._

That word gives Cory butterflies in his stomach every time.

"Here goes."

He releases Shawn's hands and bites his lip. Nervous doesn't even begin to describe how he's feeling right now. This could all backfire on him and not only would Shawn _not_ see the colors but he might even decide that they can no longer be friends. The alternative to not sharing this with Shawn is a world that's lacking in splendor and he wants more than that for Shawn. He needs to witness the beauty of a sunset in every hue, needs to watch lightning streak across the sky in purples and blues.

It's worth a shot.

He pulls Shawn to his feet and wraps one arm around his waist in order to draw him in closer; curves the other around his neck.

Shawn laughs and it comes out shaky and nervous. "What are you doing, Cor?"

"Shhh."

I can do this, I can do this. It's just Shawn. Shawn Hunter. My best friend since childhood. _Shawn._

Cory leans into Shawn until their chests are brushing and presses the softest kiss against his lips. If he were expecting a punch or to even be pushed away then he was so off the mark. Shawn makes a tiny noise of surprise and gives Cory no time to move before he has both arms wound around Cory's waist. It begins gently with a delicate kiss despite how tightly Shawn holds him. Cory is not a patient person and his impulsive nature has gotten him into trouble before but this feels right, natural.

He decides to go with it.

He tilts his head and Shawn parts his lips, allows him to deepen the kiss. The wet hot slide of lips makes Cory want to frame this moment and keep it forever.

This, always. Everyday.

Green.

Green and brown with a touch of honey.

Pale skin and hair the color of tall tree's hundreds of years old with their long branches and viridescent leaves.

After a moment Shawn breaks the kiss but continues to hold onto Cory. It's only when he opens his eyes that he sees as Cory does and it's breathtaking. It's not the faded yellow of the scratchy blanket he uses at night nor is it the worn wood paneling that catches his gaze.

It's rich brown eyes staring back at him and lips that currently form a sideways grin.

"So this is brown huh?," Shawn remarks as he traces an outline along the skin near Cory's eyes.

"Wait. You mean that actually worked?"

Shawn nods and grins cockily. "I think maybe I'm missing some colors though, Cor. Could be real serious. Help a fella out, wouldya."

Cory is more than familiar with that look though he's normally not on the receiving end of it. For years he'd watched Shawn beam at a seemingly endless array of girls like that and he'd felt a knot of jealousy in his gut each time though he sworn he'd take those feelings to the grave.

Still.

Some things can't be helped.

He leans in and buries a hand in Shawn's hair. "I wouldn't be much of a best friend if I didn't help a friend in need, now would I?"

"Nope. So show me, pal. Chum. Buddy. Comrade."

Cory plants a kiss along the underside of Shawn's jaw, notes a pattern of light freckles there - "Compadre." 

This color spectrum thing has more perks than Cory had imagined and for that matter this method - this utterly ridiculous method - actually worked. He, Cory Matthews, is standing in the middle of a cramped mobile home with his best friend in his arms as colors bloom around them. Could it get any better than this?

+

Mr. Feeny is watering his beloved hydrangeas the following day as Cory makes his way to the picket fence.

"You're not gonna believe this, Feeny!"

Without turning away from his flowers, Mr. Feeny smiles. "He can see them too?"

Cory feels as if he's bursting with happiness, that he might just die of it. "How'd you know?"

Mr. Feeny places the watering can on the ground and sighs as if he's recalling something both painful and exquisite.

"That's how my late wife began to see them. We have the ability to observe colors, Mr. Matthews. Everybody does. It's merely a matter of digging down deep enough and finding it. Sometimes it can be unearthed with the help of people we care greatly about."

He pauses for a moment and shakes his head as he smiles. "She didn't believe me at first. I tried to describe them to her but it was impossible and so I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed her."

Cory's heart beats faster in his chest. He had intended on keeping that particular moment a secret until the time was right.

"And that's what did it for her?"

"We were married for thirty eight years. I've never looked at the color blue in the same way since."

Cory understands. He'll forever associate _green_ with pale skin and a slight blush as brunette hair falls over hazel eyes. There's no coming back from that.

He's at a loss for words as Mr. Feeny rarely shares details about his past or his personal life in general. Cory has never thought of him as someone who had once belonged to another person ( _belonged._ Feeny would get him for that word. humans don't belong to other humans) - scratch that - _who had once been in love._

"Do you understand now, Mr. Matthews?"

Cory nods and avoids Feeny's knowing gaze. "Yeah. Thanks...for everything. Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me. You figured this one out on your own."

He has a point.

At that very moment, the phone rings and Morgan steps outside then rudely yells as loud as she can - "Your boyfriends' on the phone, Cory!"

Siblings. Can't live with them, can't keep them from being a pest.

Mr. Feeny returns to his flowers and silently nods in Cory's direction. It's then that Cory realizes that he'd known all along.

 

"Hey babe. I was thinking we could go to the movies. There's a movie on that I've been waiting months to see. It's about a mutant-," Shawn begins.

Morgan watches as Cory grins widely at the phone and twirls the cord between his fingers. "Mutants? Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Even she can see that the two of them are hopeless saps.

After making quick plans for Shawn to drop by, Cory places the phone back in its cradle and happily sighs. The sky outside is gray and dotted with storm clouds. There's hardly any color to it but that's just fine.

He has the color hazel (that's what Chet called that particular shade) to look forward to.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for this cheesy piece of crappery. if you read it and liked it I thank you profusely and offer you a thousand chocolate chip cookies (° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °)


End file.
